Austin Dillon celebrates his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship with his Richard Childress Racing team at Homestead-Miami Speedway. - Photo Credit: Jerry Markland, Getty Images for NASCAR

THE MODERATOR: Let’s roll into our championship race team in the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. It’s the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, driver is Austin Dillon, our crew chief is Danny Stockman, Jr., and our owner is Richard Childress. This is Richard Childress’ second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers’ championship. His first came in the inaugural season in 1995 with driver Mike Skinner. And crew chief Danny Stockman, this is your first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship.

Richard, you talked to me out in the hall. You’ve had a lot of championships, but how does this one rank.

RICHARD CHILDRESS: It’s got to be right up there at the top. It’s so special when you’re family. Our whole family is involved, and I remember the very first championship with Dale Earnhardt. I had the same feeling tonight watching Austin, my grandson. It’s just so special to have the family and know how hard all of them worked.

I was at Ohio, Toledo, when Ty won his championship a few weeks ago, and just it’s a dream come true to have both these young men win championships.

And Danny Stockman, Bass Pro, everybody did so much to help put it together, and Austin kept it together so good under the pressure. For a 21 year old guy man, to be able to hang in there and do what he did was very special.

THE MODERATOR: Speaking of which, our championship driver has joined us now. That’s Austin Dillon. He drives the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet. At 21 years, six months and 22 days, he becomes the youngest champion in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history. Congratulations, Austin. Tell us what it’s like to win a championship in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

AUSTIN DILLON: How does it feel? Amazing, best feeling I’ve ever had in my entire life. I’m so happy for my grandfather. He’s got two champs this year. I’m worried about Ty coming back and beating me for the youngest champion ever. He’s pretty awesome. It’s going to be a wonderful week, a wonderful month. Can’t ask to go out of the Truck Series any better than this, coming out as a champion.

Danny Stockman has done a great job this year. We’re all a family over at RCR, and we fight like dogs, but we love each other the same. It’s cool that we’re out there, a championship. It was wild. The last restart was not the way I planned it. It made it interesting, but we still came out on top.

THE MODERATOR: Danny Stockman, talk about being the crew chief for this championship team.

DANNY STOCKMAN: Yeah, like Austin said, the last restart was quite gut wrenching. Just awesome to be a part of this deal with Richard and Mike and Austin and Tina and everybody that just let me have this opportunity to be a part of it. Austin Dillon being a great race car driver, up and coming race car driver, just really glad to be a part of it. Got a heck of a good race team, and just got to thank everybody back at the shop there. Really good.

Q. Austin, a little more detail on that last restart. Was it a tire issue? And I think Hornaday said when he went by you there that he saw oil or something like that. Was that communicated to you, as well?

AUSTIN DILLON: I didn’t see the oil, but I know right behind the right front fender we were knocked in. I don’t know what happened. I didn’t hit anybody on the track, but I think it happened on pit road. We got really tight once I got back there, but I think it was more the conservative side when I was three wide. We were three wide in the middle, and to force a spot right there is not worth it.

I wish we would have finished I think we had a shot to win the race. We really had a fast race car. When you get back there in that situation, your head tells you to be smart, but at the same time they’re telling you to go because you’re close there. I went as hard as I could, started entering the corner harder at the end and helped us out. But we got really tight when the fender got knocked in. I think it was close really with the fender, but the rain came at the right time, the Lord was looking after us, and it’s really cool to be where we are today.

Q. Austin, I want to say you didn’t really say anything on the radio as you were falling back there or even for the few laps after that. Did you not want to say anything? What was going through your head?

AUSTIN DILLON: There was no need to, just focus and get back on the wheel. When you get down like that, you can’t do anything but drive back to the front, and we’ve done that all year. I’ve struggled in certain spots and restarts. Actually my restarts have been really great to the end of the year. That one wasn’t a bad restart. I kind of Johnny went I didn’t anticipate as well as I needed to, and when Denny stuck me three wide, I probably could have made something out of it in the middle, could have got to the top quicker, but I didn’t know who was out there and no one said clear on the radio, so we obviously weren’t.

When you get three wide, and these trucks, the air pushes you around so much it’s hard to run three wide, and down the back stretch it was really hairy, so I just rolled out a little bit, got back in line and went to working on everybody in front of me and were able to pass quite a few of them.

Q. Can you just talk about what the last six, seven weeks have been like? You’re leading the points coming out of each of these last six or seven races. Has it been nerve wracking or has it been easier to handle than you thought?

AUSTIN DILLON: You know, watching these guys in the Cup Series talk to each other, it’s pretty wild. I listen to Tony Stewart and I listen to Carl Edwards and the different approaches they take to it. Offense is your best defense most of the time in racing, and I felt like today I probably played too much defense. It wasn’t enough offense, and my grandfather got onto me midway through the race and said, You can’t get comfortable here, you’ve got to keep racing. Went back and got on the wheel and drove up through a bunch of them and found ourselves in second.

We had a fast race car there at the end, and when we got three wide, I had to play conservative because it wasn’t worth it. It worked out for the better of everything, and leading up to this week, I’ve just been hunting and fishing, doing stuff I love to do, keep my mind off of it, hanging out with the people I always hang out with, talking to Danny, preparing ourselves the way we do for every race.

There’s no difference coming into the championship. You can’t approach things different. When you’re sitting outside the lead, you can take more chances, that’s for sure. Johnny could take more chances today than we could, Buescher the same way, they have nothing to lose. Stewart is right, he has nothing to lose for Sunday. It’s hard to play offense. You’ve got to play off, though. My best advice to Carl is to go out there and play offense, go out there he knows what he has to do. They have a different situation; they’re very close in points. There’s a benefit there.

I actually talked to Ricky Carmichael, he’s won lots of championships, and I was talking to him and he said the closest championship was probably the easiest because he knew what he had to do. 16th was what we were supposed to finish to win, and we knew that going in, and got us a top 10, so we did our job.

Q. That said, Austin, what was today like, because it wasn’t maybe a normal day because of the rain and everything. Was there a chance for nerves to get in? And with winning the championship, what’s your experience so far? Is it everything you thought it would be?

AUSTIN DILLON: Today with the rain, it did make it you had to think a little bit more, I guess. You could think about it longer. But I actually watched a Clint Eastwood movie during the middle of the day. That was pretty cool. It kept my mind off it. I laughed a few times. It was the one with the chimpanzee. “Any Which Way But Loose” is what I watched today. I watched it with my buddy Tim Dugger and my girlfriend and his girlfriend, we just hung out and watched the movie and waited on everything, and when it got down to it, started listening to my music, had our team meeting. That’s when we all get emotional is in our team meeting because we all know why we’re here, and it was really cool, we all had a big prayer session before, and I told them I was nervous going in, as nervous as they are, but we’ve got to go do our job, and we did it.

Austin Dillon soaks in the glory after becoming the youngest NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion following Friday night's race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. (Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images for NASCAR)

AUSTIN DILLON: The championship, yeah, it’s amazing. You get to spray champagne everywhere. You’re on top of the world. It’s the best feeling in the world. You stink real bad. Darrell Waltrip told me the best feeling in the world is going home stinking and having a trophy in your lap, and we were able to do that. I think now I’m more nervous about making a speech Monday, but we’ll figure that out. I’ve got some time.

Q. Going back to your celebration, are you maybe the first NASCAR champion to try planking on concrete?

AUSTIN DILLON: Yeah, the planking is cool. It’s something new. I feel like the good thing about NASCAR, we’ve got some really good drivers coming up. I am friends with a bunch of them that are going to represent the sport well. I think NASCAR has a lot to look forward to going forward. I feel that the newer fans coming in are young, and it’s really cool for sponsors, and I love the social media network, and I’ll be out there having fun any way I can. Yeah, I think that was one of the coolest planks you can do, I guess, winning a championship and then planking.

Q. Maybe your riskiest move of the night, too?

AUSTIN DILLON: That was probably my riskiest move, yeah. But it was wet enough where I could have got a little slide, and I have Sparco suit, so it’s the best suit in the world.

Q. You didn’t think about “Tebowing,” did you?

AUSTIN DILLON: Yeah, I kind of did. I pointed up when I was over the car. I didn’t get down on one knee, but that would have been cool to Tebow. He got it done last night, too; it was pretty impressive.

Q. What were you thinking when the rains came? Did you figure you had it at that particular time?

AUSTIN DILLON: Never thought about it. Andy Houston, my spotter, said, That’s probably going to be it, man, and I stayed in the truck and waited for the signal. It kind of drizzled, it was drizzling, and I knew they had lost the track because it was so slippery driving around under caution, and my grandfather said, Do not spin out under caution; slow down. I said, Wow, if I do this, that would be really a good way to lose the championship, rolling around under rain, so I backed her off and pulled in, and Hermie Sadler told me I won the championship, so I started celebrating and planked.

Actually, you know what, I did play some Xbox this week and tweeted my Xbox Live name and had like 50 people play Xbox Live Call of Duty with me. That was pretty fun, too. That was my RCR clan. It was good. I ended up on top like three times, but it was cool because everybody was going to tune into the championship, and they’re like mention the RCR clan in victory lane. I didn’t do it, but I got it in the media center, so I’m going to go back and play with them and talk to them about the championship. It’s cool, I interacted with fans that way.

Q. For Richard, what do you think allowed him to have the poise and everything to hold onto this lead in the points the last seven weeks, and is there anything that he’s done that you obviously have watched him race since he was little, but is there anything he’s done in the last two months that either particularly impressed you or surprised you?

RICHARD CHILDRESS: I think watching the race at Texas was the key to winning this championship. He was conservative when he had to be and he raced hard when he had to be. I think that was a big win we finished second, but it was a great run, and I think going into tonight, he I haven’t talked to him a whole lot this week because I didn’t want to add any extra pressure. He handles pressure better than a lot of people his age, he and his brother does, Ty. I couldn’t believe with the way he handled himself in the ARCA championship. They must get it from their mom because me and their dad gets a little wound up sometimes.

One other thing: Tonight with Johnny winning, that was 51 wins for ECR, and I told them at our kickoff banquet last year that they won 50 last year, so I told them you’ve got to beat it this year, so tonight made it 51. Great job for ECR.

Q. With the strength and the momentum you have after winning this championship, you’re taking the entire team with you to the Nationwide Series. What are you expecting for next season?

AUSTIN DILLON: Yeah, we’ve built a great team going into 2012. We’ve been working a little bit leading up to this race, and Stockman has been really harping on worried about this race, not worried about next year. But we’re so excited I can’t wait. It’s going to be amazing, feel like we can do it again. Two in a row would be awesome, just keep moving up and doing our job and we’ll be there at the end.

I was able to run some really good races with the Nationwide Series this year, and I feel like we stack up well, and we’ll have similar equipment. RCR and Pop Pop always make sure we have the best, and we’ll go out there and do our job in that No. 3.

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations to the No. 3 truck, Austin, Danny and Richard.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 120 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly to gas-free” solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com .

- Chevrolet Press Release

Nelson Piquet Jr. (Photo Credit: Lesley Ann Miller)

Turner Motorsports welcomes Nelson Piquet Jr. … Turner Motorsports is pleased to welcome NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) standout Nelson Piquet Jr. to the seat of the No. 30 Chevrolet for this weekend’s Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Piquet Jr. made his NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) debut at Watkins Glen International in 2010. In his lone NNS start, the Brazil native brought home a seventh-place finish after qualifying in the 10th position.

NCWTS notes… As Piquet Jr. prepares for his first NNS race of 2011, the 26-year-old is wrapping up his rookie pursuit for the NCWTS championship. Over the course of 24 starts this season, he has captured five top-five and nine top-10 finishes, leading 52 laps along the way. He sits 10th in the championship point standings and is just five markers down in the fierce battle for the series’ Rookie of the Year honors.

Calling the shots… This weekend, Piquet Jr. will work with veteran crew chief Stewart Cooper. Cooper has worked with several drivers in 2011 including Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Boris Said, James Buescher and Ricky Carmichael.

This week’s Impala… The No. 30 team will round out the 2011 season this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway hitting the track with chassis TMS-310. This chassis made its debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Kahne drove it to a fifth-place finish after starting in the seventh spot. Buescher also piloted TMS-310 two weeks ago at Texas Motor Speedway, finishing in the 17th spot.

Bienvenidos a NASCAR… In support of NASCAR’s ‘Bienvenidos a NASCAR’ program, Piquet Jr.’s No. 30 Chevrolet will sport a special program decal this weekend. In addition to decals on entries in all three of NASCAR’s top series, the program will provide bilingual brand ambassadors, virtual garage tours and guidebooks of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage. There will be a Spanish language broadcast available via scanner (via ESPN Deportes), as well as ‘Bienvenidos a NASCAR’ ticket packages though Homestead-Miami Speedway and a Chino y Nacho pre-race concert on Sunday, Nov. 20th at 12 p.m. at the Coca-Cola Stage.

Turner Motorsports: A look back… In 33 Nationwide Series events in 2011, Turner Motorsports-prepared entries have notched three wins, 21 top-five and 62 top-10 finishes. Mark Martin kicked off the season capturing the team’s first-ever NASCAR win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. It was Justin Allgaier’s turn in June when he nabbed his second-career win at Chicagoland Speedway and Reed Sorenson rounded the month out winning his first NNS race with the organization at Road America. Both of Turner Motorsports’ championship-contending drivers are inside the top-10 in the driver point standings with Allgaier in third and Jason Leffler in sixth.

In 24 NCWTS races in 2011, Turner Motorsports’ entries have earned 13 top-five and 31 top-10 finishes. The organization has earned five pole awards with Buescher earning three, and Carmichael and Steve Arpin capturing one each. Buescher is currently sitting third in the championship point standings, 28 markers out of the lead.

Nelson Piquet Jr. on racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series

“I am really excited to have the opportunity to get in the Nationwide car for Turner Motorsports this weekend. I have never done double duty before, so I am really looking forward to it. It is going to be a lot of seat time, more then I have ever done before in one weekend. I want to thank Steve Turner for giving me the opportunity to get in one of his cars, and I am looking forward to bringing home a solid finish in the No. 30 machine.”

Follow the No. 30 team on Twitter! Twitter.com/No30TurnerNNS

Follow Nelson Piquet Jr. on Twitter! Twitter.com/NelsonPiquet

Follow Turner Motorsports on Facebook! Facebook.com/TurnerMotorsports

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

No. 38 Great Clips Chevrolet Impala - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

The end of an era… In this weekend’s 2011 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Jason Leffler will make his final start behind the wheel of the No. 38 Great Clips machine. Leffler has piloted this car for the last six seasons, making headlines for the world’s largest haircare brand with his famous faux-hawk hairdo. Leffler will continue to represent Great Clips in select projects, with his long-time sponsor serving as his primary sponsor in his quest for victory in the 2012 Chili Bowl Nationals in January.

Sixth in the standings…. Leffler has secured sixth-place in the 2011 driver championship point standings after a season that has included two top-fives and 12 top-10 finishes with nine laps led. He has an average starting position of 13.0 and an average finishing position of 13.9.
Leffler a solid contender at Homestead-Miami Speedway (HMS)… In eight NNS starts at the 1.5-mile oval, Leffler has captured three top-10′s as well as a pair of fourth-place finishes (2003 and 2008). He has an average start of 17.9 and an average finish of 13.5.

Turner Motorsports: A look back… In 33 Nationwide Series events in 2011, Turner Motorsports-prepared entries have notched three wins, 21 top-five and 62 top-10 finishes. Mark Martin kicked off the season capturing the team’s first-ever NASCAR win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. It was Justin Allgaier’s turn in June when he nabbed his second-career win at Chicagoland Speedway and Reed Sorenson rounded the month out winning his first NNS race with the organization at Road America. Both of Turner Motorsports’ championship-contending drivers are inside the top-10 in the driver point standings with Allgaier in third and Jason Leffler in sixth.

In 24 NCWTS races in 2011, Turner Motorsports’ entries have earned 13 top-five and 31 top-10 finishes. The organization has earned five pole awards with James Buescher earning three, and Ricky Carmichael and Steve Arpin capturing one each. Buescher is currently sitting third in the championship point standings, 28 markers out of the lead.

Happy 10-Year Anniversary, Great Clips… This season marks Great Clips’ 10-year anniversary as a primary sponsor in the NNS. The Minneapolis-based Great Clips, Inc., which is currently the longest-running primary sponsor in the series, came onto the scene in 2001 as a primary sponsor of Akins Motorsports No. 38 entry, then driven by Christian Elder.

Leffler on SIRIUS’ Morning Drive every Wednesday… Don’t forget to tune in to SIRIUS Radio’s “Morning Drive” with Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone every Wednesday at 10:30am to hear Leffler’s take on recent events in the Nationwide Series and what you can expect from the week’s upcoming race.

Jason Leffler - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

“I really only have one goal going into this weekend and that is taking this 38 team and Great Clips back into victory lane. It’s been an up and down season but I know we have it in us to go out there and get the win. I can’t say enough about this team! These are some of the hardest working guys in the garage and I couldn’t ask for a better team to have behind me. I also want to thank Great Clips for their years of support. It has been a privilege representing them both on and off the track for the last six years. They are an amazing company to work with and I have enjoyed working with not just the corporate staff in Minneapolis, but the thousands of Great Clips franchisees, managers and stylists around the country as well. I look forward to continuing my relationship with Great Clips with events like the Chili Bowl Nationals in January.”

Follow the No. 38 team on Twitter! Twitter.com/No38TurnerNNS

Follow Jason Leffler on Twitter! Twitter.com/JasonLeffler

Follow Turner Motorsports on Facebook! Facebook.com/TurnerMotorsports

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado (Ricky Carmichael) - Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

Event / Date: Ford 200 – Nov. 18, 2011

Venue: Homestead-Miami Speedway – Homestead, Fla.

This Week’s Monster Energy Chevrolet Impala … Ricky Carmichael will pilot chassis TMS-021 from the Turner Motorsports (TMS) NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) stable in Friday night’s Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Built new for 2011, this truck saw action most recently at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where, despite being collected in an early-race incident, Carmichael finished 12th. This truck also saw action this season at Charlotte Motor Speedway (St. 17, Fn. 12), Texas Motor Speedway in June (St. 9, Fn. 6), Kentucky Speedway in July (St. 14, Fn. 16), Michigan International Speedway (St. 7, Fn. 12) Chicagoland Speedway (St. 4, Fn.25) and Atlanta Motor Speedway (St. 1 Fn. 8).

Phoenix Facts … Carmichael participated in last weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race where he and his Doug George-led Monster Energy Team turned in a gritty 15th-place performance in the WYPALL 200 Powered by Kimberly-Clark Professional at Phoenix International Raceway. It was Carmichael’s fourth and final NASCAR Nationwide Series start of 2011 but perhaps, his most determined. The ever-resolute competitor battled through miscues on pit road, handling issues and late-race contact with another racer to muster a respectable top-15 showing behind the wheel of the No. 34 Monster Energy Chevrolet Impala.

In a Nutshell … The 2011 season marks Carmichael’s second year competing on a full-time basis and third overall in the NCWTS. Since making his series debut 67 races ago, he has gone on to earn four top-five and 18 top-10 finishes. Over those same 67 races, the motocross legend has logged a 14.8 average start, a 16.9 average finish, led 40 laps, completed 90.3 percent of the laps run and earned just over of $862,000 in purse money. In Nationwide Series competition, he’s made eight starts spanning the last two years and logged a career-best ninth-place finish earlier this season at Road America.

2011 Totals … In 24 NCWTS races this season, Carmichael has notched one pole, one top-five and seven top-10 finishes. The 15-time AMA National Champion has led 39 laps this season, recorded a 16.3 average start and a 17.2 average finish. He has completed 3,254 of 3,719 total laps (87.5 percent) and finished on the lead lap 13 times.

Nationwide Notes … In 33 NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2011, TMS-fielded teams have notched three wins, 21 top-five and 62 top-10 finishes. TMS’s No. 32 Dollar General team picked up one spot in owner’s points and now sits sixth after Ron Hornaday Jr., finished 13th last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 31 Brandt Chevrolet, was ninth in the final rundown after Phoenix and maintained third in the driver point standings. While Jason Leffler was credited with 26th at Phoenix, the Long Beach, Calif., native still held on to sixth in points heading into the final race of the year.

RC Live … On Thursday, Nov. 17, Carmichael will appear at the NASCAR Championship Drive at Lummus Park located along Ocean Drive, between 7th and 9th Streets, in Miami Beach. The Clearwater Fla., native will be on hand from 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. for a question and answer session and to sign autographs for race fans.

Turner Truck Totals … In 23 NCWTS races in 2011, TMS entries have earned 13 top-five and 31 top-10 finishes. James Buescher leads the way with 19 top 10s and is third in points – 28 behind leader Austin Dillon. Buescher has only finished outside the top 10 four times in the 23 NCWTS races in which he has competed this season. Carmichael has logged one top five and seven top 10s and is 15th in the standings. Blake Feese finished fourth and Ryan Newman was fifth in Atlanta. Mark Martin finished seventh in the No. 32 machine at Pocono while Brad Sweet drove the same truck for the first eight races of the year, logging a pair of top-10 results.

Get to the Point(s) … Carmichael jumped from 16th to 15th in points following his eighth-place finish two weeks ago at Texas Motor Speedway. Buescher is third in the standings. While Feese has made just nine starts in 2011, he is 26th in points. The No. 32 machine is also assured a spot on Friday night’s starting grid by virtue of being 20th in the NCWTS owner point standings.

Welcome Aboard … Turner Motorsports and Monster Energy are pleased to feature CVS / pharmacy on the lower-rear quarter panels of the No. 4 entry this weekend in Homestead. CVS/pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Caremark Corporation, is America’s leading retail pharmacy with more than 7,200 CVS/pharmacy and Longs Drug stores. CVS/pharmacy is committed to improving the lives of those we serve by making innovative and high-quality health and pharmacy services safe, affordable and easy to access, both in its stores and online at CVS.com.

Up to Speed … Live coverage of the Ford 200 from Homestead-Miami Speedway will take the green flag Friday, Nov. 18 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The race will be televised live on SPEED and broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Qualifying for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ season-finale will be televised live on SPEED the same day at 4:30 p.m. EST.

Ricky Carmichael - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

After three years racing in the Camping World Truck Series, where do you think you are on the learning curve and have you met your expectations?

“I think I’m getting closer to where I need to be with my learning curve. I’m getting more comfortable when I get out on the race track so I can focus more on actually racing and getting the vehicle to where it’s handling better. As far as my own expectations go, there have been times where I’ve over-exceeded my expectations and times when I’ve under under-performed. I’m not a great guy to ask about judging myself. I think if you take everything into account and you know everything about my program, I’ve done pretty well, all things considered. I think I’ve done a pretty good job at holding my own against guys who have been racing on four wheels for a long time. I’m somewhat happy but, me being the competitive person that I am, I expect more and want more.”

What have been the biggest challenges?

“The biggest challenge I face every single week is my lack of experience when we don’t unload that fast and being able to explain what the vehicle is doing so I can give good feedback about what to change so we can get faster. I need to be better when it comes to taking some of the guesswork away from the crew chief. My lack of seat-time has hindered me a little bit when it comes to restarts closer to the end of races and knowing all the tricks of the trade. I think my lack of experience is pretty obvious when I’m racing guys like Hornaday (Ron Hornaday Jr.) and some of the other guys who have been doing this for years and years. That’s really when I get taken to school.”

Can you put 2011 into perspective?

“I expected to have a better season than we did. My goals at the beginning of the season were to be inside the top five in points and no worse than being in the top 10. I think, given the amount of experience I have, being inside the top five would have almost been the equivalent of winning the championship. It’s definitely been a let down from that perspective. At the same time, we made some strides as a team that shouldn’t be overlooked. We won the pole at Atlanta and ran up front all day at both restrictor-plate races. We also led some laps and that was a big deal for me, personally. I definitely feel like I’ve made some accomplishments this year but the point thing is definitely a letdown. I’m not one to make excuses so all I can do is put my best foot forward and work hard to be better next year.”

Follow Ricky Carmichael at:

Rickycarmichael.com

Twitter.com/RickyCarmichael

Facebook.com/RickyCarmichael

Facebook.com/TurnerMotorsports

Twitter.com/TurnerMotorspts

About Turner Motorsports:

Turner Motorsports, LLC, established in 1999, is in the midst of its sophomore season of NASCAR competition. Owned by Texas businessman Steve Turner, the organization has expanded in 2011 from a two-truck operation in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) to become the largest stand-alone multi-series team in NASCAR’s top-tier touring series. Turner Motorsports operates out of an 110,000 square-foot state-of-the art facility in Mooresville, N.C., and will compete with three entries in the Camping World Truck Series and four entries in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The team boasts an all-star driver line-up that includes Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Jason Leffler, Brian Vickers, Justin Allgaier, Ricky Carmichael, James Buescher, Brad Sweet, Brandon McReynolds and Ron Hornaday Jr. The Chevrolet-backed team has created alliances with General Motors’ powerhouse teams Hendrick Motorsports, which will provide engine support for both its NNS and NCWTS programs, Kevin Harvick Inc. for body and aero support, and Earnhardt Technology Group for drive train and suspension technology assistance. Turner Motorsports’ marketing partners include Dollar General, Great Clips, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Monster Energy, BRANDT, Rexall, Exide, AccuDoc Solutions, Wolfpack Rentals, Fraternal Order of Eagles and ABF Freight. For more information on Turner Motorsports, visit www.turnermotorsportsllc.com.

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

Ricky Carmichael - Photo Credit: Sam Greenwood / Getty Images for NASCAR

Event / Date: WYPALL 200 Powered by Kimberly-Clark Professional 200 – Nov. 12, 2011

Venue: Phoenix International Raceway – Avondale, Ariz.

This Week’s Monster Energy Chevrolet Impala … Ricky Carmichael will pilot Chassis TMS-311 from the Turner Motorsports NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) stable in Saturday’s WYPALL 200 Powered by Kimberly-Clark Professional at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). This a brand-new Chevrolet Impala that will be put through its first paces this weekend in Phoenix.

Phoenix Facts … Carmichael will attempt to make his second NNS start at PIR in Saturday’s WYPALL 200. In his lone NNS start at the newly reconfigured one-mile desert oval, the 15-time American Motorcycle Association (AMA) National Champion started 41st and finished 21st, one lap down to the leaders. In NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) action, the 31-year old driver has made three starts, where he’s logged a 21.0 starting average, a 25.3 average finish, completed 419 of 451 laps (93 percent) and earned just over $25,500 in purse money.

A Look Back at Last Week … After being forced to start at the rear of the field following a pre-race engine change, Carmichael, a regular competitor in the NCWTS, and his Monster Energy Team bounced back to post a resilient and impressive eighth-place finish in last Friday night’s WinStar World Casino 350K at Texas Motor Speedway. The solid effort was Carmichael’s seventh top-10 finish of 2011 and bumped him up one spot, from 16th to 15th, in the NCWTS championship point standings.

In a Nutshell … The 2011 season marks Carmichael’s second year competing on a full-time basis and third overall in the NCWTS. Since making his series debut 67 races ago, he has gone on to earn four top-five and 18 top-10 finishes. Over those same 67 races, the motocross legend has logged a 14.8 average start, a 16.9 average finish, led 40 laps, completed 90.3 percent of the laps run and earned just over of $862,000 in purse money. In Nationwide Series competition, he’s made seven starts spanning the last two years and logged a career-best ninth-place finish earlier this season at Road America.

Calling the Shots … Veteran NASCAR crew chief Doug George, Carmichael’s crew chief in the NCWTS, will call the shots for the No. 34 team this weekend in Phoenix. Additionally, Carmichael’s entire Truck Series road crew will prepare the Monster Energy Chevy at PIR.

Nationwide Notes … In 32 NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2011, TMS-fielded teams have notched three wins, 21 top-five and 61 top-10 finishes. TMS’s No. 32 Dollar General team maintained seventh in owner’s points after Brian Vickers finished 10th last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 31 Brandt Chevrolet, was 14th in the final rundown after Texas and jumped from fourth to third in the driver point standings. Jason Leffler was credited with 15th at Texas and held on to sixth in points. NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series veteran Ron Hornaday Jr. will take over the reins of the Dollar General Chevy this weekend at PIR and make his 184th career NNS start. Hornaday boasts one pole, four wins, 32 top-five and 70 top-10 finishes spanning 13 seasons.

Welcome Aboard … Turner Motorsports and Monster Energy are pleased to welcome QuikTrip to the rear quarter panels, deck lid and TV panel of the No. 34 Monster Energy Impala this weekend in Phoenix. QuikTrip Corporation is a privately held company headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Founded in 1958, QuikTrip has grown to a $9 billion company with 580+ stores in nine major metropolitan areas. Those revenues place QuikTrip high on the Forbes listing of largest privately held companies. QuikTrip’s strategy is to be the dominant convenience/gasoline retailer in each market, and to reach that level not through sheer numbers of stores, but through key, high-volume locations. With over 10,000 employees, Fortune magazine has ranked QuikTrip high on the list of Best Companies To Work for the last nine years. QuikTrip also gives back to the communities it serves, donating five percent of net profits to charitable organizations.

Up to Speed … Live coverage of the WYPALL 200 Powered by Kimberly-Clark Professional will take the green flag Saturday, Nov. 11 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The race will be televised live on ESPN2 and broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Qualifying for Carmichael’s fourth and final Nationwide Series start of 2011 will be televised live on SPEED the same day at noon EST.

RICKY CARMICHAEL QUOTES

You’re making your last Nationwide Series start of 2011. You’re a big fan of one-mile race tracks, Phoenix has a new configuration and you’ve got your buddy Ron Hornaday Jr., as a teammate this weekend. You’ve got to be excited about going to Phoenix.

“Life is good. Turner Motorsports and Monster Energy have given me a great opportunity to run some Nationwide Series races this year. I can’t wait to get out on the track Thursday and see what we’ve got. It’s a clean slate for everyone. The track has new pavement and I know the kink on the backstretch is a little different now so it’s going to be a new challenge for everyone. I’m really going to have to rely on the depth of our team so I’m excited to have my crew chief Doug George and my whole team from the Truck Series preparing the car. There will definitely be some synergies from that standpoint. It’s a great opportunity. I can’t wait.”

Have you had a chance to talk to anyone who has had the opportunity to go out to Phoenix and test so you know what to expect?

“I talked to (Kevin) Harvick about it and I saw Dale Jr. (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) out at the SEMA show in Las Vegas last week. Both of them had a chance to go test out there so they gave me some insight. The track is good in the main groove but you definitely have to err on the side of caution if you get out of the groove. I’ve heard the track has had some other cars out there to try and lay down some rubber. We get a couple of extra practices on Thursday so that will give us some more time to get out there and get a feel for the track. That’s going to help out a lot. My main focus is going to be paying close attention and giving good feedback. We’re not locked into the field so we’ll have to qualify on time. We’ll definitely have our work cut out for us. We’re all going to have to be on our toes this weekend – me especially when it comes to cutting a fast lap.”

You’ve also got a lot going on in Phoenix away from the race track.

“I always like going to Phoenix. My wife’s family is from out there and my kids will be out there, too so it’s going to be a fun weekend. On Wednesday, I’ll go to 2XL, which is the company that designed the Ricky Carmichael Motocross Matchup video game and record some voice-overs. I’ve got a dinner with the folks from QuikTrip on Friday and that’s always a great time. I’m just looking forward to the weekend. It’s a great opportunity and I want to make the best of it.”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

James Buescher - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) notes… James Buescher is having a career-year in his full-time pursuit for the NCWTS championship. He has collected 10 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes in 23 starts, finishing outside the top-10 on only four occasions. He has captured two pole awards and led 208 laps. He is currently third in the championship point standings, 28 points behind leader Austin Dillon with one race left on the schedule.

Calling the shots… For his limited run in the Nationwide Series, Buescher will work with veteran crew chief Stewart Cooper. Cooper has worked with several drivers in 2011 including, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Boris Said and Ricky Carmichael.

Turner Motorsports: In the Hunt… In 32 Nationwide Series events in 2011, Turner Motorsports-prepared entries have notched three wins, 21 top-five and 61 top-10 finishes. Both of Turner Motorsports’ championship-contending drivers are inside the top-10 in the driver point standings with Justin Allgaier tied for third and Jason Leffler in sixth.

By the numbers – NNS… This weekend’s race at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) will mark Buescher’s 10th NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) start of the 2011 season. In his previous nine starts he is credited with one top-five and three top-10 finishes. In 32 total series starts, he has claimed two pole awards, one top-five and five top-10 finishes.

This week’s Impala… The No. 30 Exide team will hit the track with chassis TMS-124 this weekend at PIR. This chassis last saw track action at Michigan International Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway.

James Buescher on heading to PIR

“It’s going to be great to get out on the ‘new’ Phoenix International Raceway. This will be the first time I’ve been on the track since it has been repaved, and I am excited to get out there and experience it. With all the changes to the track, we won’t be able to rely on notes from previous races. The extended practice day on Thursday will be very beneficial. We can perfect the handling on the car and I will have a chance to get seat time and get acclimated to the track. I’m excited to get more time in the Nationwide car this weekend, and I am looking forward to bringing home a strong finish in this Exide Batteries Chevrolet.”

Follow the No. 30 team on Twitter! Twitter.com/No30TurnerNNS

Follow James Buescher on Twitter! Twitter.com/JamesBuescher

Follow Turner Motorsports on Facebook! Facebook.com/TurnerMotorsports

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

No. 38 Great Clips Chevrolet Impala - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

Where it all began… Turner Motorsports calls Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) their home track, winning their first championship at the track with Steve Turner’s youngest daughter, Kris, driving a Bandolero in 2004. The organization was headquartered in Hallettsville, Texas until making the move into NASCAR and to Mooresville, N.C. in 2009.Testing the NASCAR waters in 2009, the organization made their NCWTS debut at their home track. In 2010, the team went full time NCWTS racing, fielding entries for Ricky Carmichael and Buescher. In late 2010, the organization made the announcement from the TMS media center that they had acquired Braun Racing and would run three NCWTS and four NNS entries in 2011. That same weekend, Buescher grabbed Turner Motorsports’ first-ever pole award.

In one year, Turner Motorsports has collected four poles, 12 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes in the NCWTS and notched three wins, 21 top-five and 60 top-10 finishes in Nationwide Series competition. Buescher is currently second in the NCWTS points battle, while Justin Allgaier and Jason Leffler are fifth and sixth, respectively, in the NNS point standings.

Texas Motor Speedway: by the numbers… In 14 starts at the Ft. Worth-based track, Leffler has one top-five and five top-10 finishes. He is credited with one pole award and five laps led. He has an average starting spot of 15.8 and an average finishing position of 14.0.

This week’s No. 38 Impala… The Great Clips team will unload chassis TMS-127 this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. This is the team’s “go-to” chassis as it has more seen more track time than any other car in rotation. Leffler has driven TMS-127 at Kentucky Speedway (13th), Michigan Int’l Speedway (10th), Dover Int’l Speedway (11th), Charlotte Motor Speedway (21st) and Darlington Raceway (9th), Atlanta Motor Speedway (9th), Chicagoland Speedway (12th), Kansas Speedway (13th) and in the series’ last event at Charlotte (11th).

Happy 10-Year Anniversary, Great Clips… This season marks Great Clips’ 10-year anniversary as a primary sponsor in the NNS. The Minneapolis-based Great Clips, Inc., which is currently the longest-running primary sponsor in the series, came onto the scene in 2001 as a primary sponsor of Akins Motorsports No. 38 entry, then driven by Christian Elder.

Leffler on SIRIUS’ Morning Drive every Wednesday… Don’t forget to tune in to SIRIUS Radio’s “Morning Drive” with Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone every Wednesday at 10:30am to hear Leffler’s take on recent events in the Nationwide Series and what you can expect from the week’s upcoming race.

Jason Leffler - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

“Texas is a really fun track to race! It’s fast and slick with a wide racing surface. You can pretty much run anywhere on the track you want to based on how your car is handling. Turn two is the trouble spot there. The banking holds you really good and then, at the last second, the banking falls off. If you aren’t careful you can get caught out there and pick up a bad push at the very end or, if you’re pushing before that, it can snap you loose. It definitely has its own unique characteristics but it is a great track and the racing is always really good. Since this is the Turner family’s home track we all really want to win. It’s really important to put on a good show for the Turner Motorsports hometown fans and get this Great Clips Chevrolet back into victory lane!”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

No. 31 BRANDT Chevrolet Impala (Justin Allgaier) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

Texas by the Numbers… The 25-year-old BRANDT Chevy driver has six NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) starts at Texas Motor Speedway. He is credited with two top-10 finishes, with a best finish of sixth coming in April of this year. He has an average start of 15.0 and an average finish of 14.3.

NNS Points So Far… Allgaier sits in fourth-place in the NNS point standings after the series’ last race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, just four points out of third and 91 markers out of the lead.

This Week’s Impala… The No. 31 BRANDT team will hit the track with chassis TMS-308 this Saturday afternoon at Texas. This chassis last saw track action three weeks ago under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway where Allgaier started 10th and brought home a seventh-place finish. This chassis was run earlier this season at Atlanta Motor Speedway where Allgaier came home sixth and Nashville Superspeedway where he finished in the fourth spot.

The 31 After 31 Events… With three events left on the 2011 NNS schedule, Allgaier has accumulated some impressive stats. He has logged top-10 finishes in over 50% of the races this year and nabbed his second-career win. He is credited with six top-five and 16 top-10 finishes this season.

A Busy Off Week For Allgaier… Off weeks usually mean time to relax and spend time at home, but this wasn’t the case for Allgaier and wife Ashley. The duo flew to Mexico to take part in a mission with Back-to-Back Missions, where they assisted in building an orphanage as well as provided food to local families. Following the trip, Allgaier tweeted, “What an AMAZING trip. There are no words to describe what we saw. Really grateful for what we have everyday.”

Where it all began… Turner Motorsports calls TMS their home track, winning their first championship at the track with Steve Turner’s youngest daughter, Kris, driving a Bandolero in 2004. The organization was headquartered in Hallettsville, Texas until making the move into NASCAR and to Mooresville, N.C. in 2009.Testing the NASCAR waters in 2009, the organization made their NCWTS debut at their home track. In 2010, the team went full time NCWTS racing, fielding entries for Ricky Carmichael and Buescher. In late 2010, the organization made the announcement from the TMS media center that they had acquired Braun Racing and would run three NCWTS and four NNS entries in 2011. That same weekend, Buescher grabbed Turner Motorsports’ first-ever pole award.

In one year, Turner Motorsports has collected four poles, 12 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes in the NCWTS and notched three wins, 21 top-five and 60 top-10 finishes in Nationwide Series competition. Buescher is currently second in the NCWTS points battle, while Justin Allgaier and Jason Leffler are fourth and sixth, respectively, in the NNS point standings.

Justin Allgaier - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

“Texas may look like your regular mile-and-a-half, but it’s actually pretty tricky, especially with a lot of bumps in turns one and two. It provides multi-grooved racing and you have to go hard every lap or you’ll lose track position. We had a strong finish there in the spring and found new things that worked for us, so we’re heading into this weekend looking to better our sixth-place finish in hopes to get to shoot the pistols in victory lane.”

Follow the No. 31 team on Twitter! Twitter.com/No31TurnerNNS

Follow Justin Allgaier on Twitter! Twitter.com/J_Allgaier

Follow Turner Motorsports on Facebook! Facebook.com/TurnerMotorsports

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado (Ricky Carmichael) - Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

Event / Date: WinStar World Casino 350K – November 4, 2011

Venue: Texas Motor Speedway – Fort Worth, Texas

· This Week’s Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado … Ricky Carmichael will pilot chassis TMS-013 from the Turner Motorsports (TMS) NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) stable in Friday night’s WinStar World Casino 350K at Texas Motor Speedway. This is the same truck Carmichael raced earlier this fall at Kentucky Speedway (St. 16, Fn. 6). The truck also saw track-time this season at Pocono Raceway (St. 15, Fn. 20) and Dover International Speedway (St. 20, Fn. 29). Following Dover, the truck was outfitted with a new body, including front and rear clips after a hard crash sent him into the Turn 4 wall and ultimately to garage area prior to the conclusion of the event. This truck also saw action in April at Nashville Superspeedway where Carmichael started 23rd and finished 14th. Built new in 2010, this Chevrolet Silverado was the workhorse of the Monster Energy Team’s fleet last fall. Carmichael drove the same Monster Energy Chevy last year at Chicagoland Speedway (St. 13, Fn. 28), Kentucky Speedway (St. 5, Fn. 9), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (St. 8, Fn. 9) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (St. 22, Fn. 21).

· Texas Totals … Carmichael has five NCWTS starts to his credit at Texas Motor Speedway and posted a career-best sixth-place finish in the division’s June stop at the lightning-fast, mile-and-a-half Fort Worth oval. The Tallahassee, Fla., resident has logged an impressive 8.4 starting average, an 11.8 average finish, completed 756 of the 798 total laps run over those four races (94.7 percent) and earned just over $66,000 in purse money.

· Martinsville Minutes … Carmichael and the Monster Energy Team made an early exit at Martinsville Speedway when brake-related issues sidelined the No. 4 machine just 37 laps into last Saturday’s Kroger 200. Carmichael started 23rd and picked up a handsome eight positions in the early goings before informing crew chief Doug George that he was having brake problems. Less than half of a lap later, the brake pedal in Turner Motorsports’ No. 4 machine went to the floorboard, sending the 15-time AMA National Champion into the Turn 2 retaining wall. Unfortunately, the damage to the Monster Energy-sponsored Chevrolet Silverado was too substantial to repair, leaving Carmichael and Co. with a hard to swallow 35th-place finish. As a result, Carmichael slipped from 13th to 16th in the series’ championship point standings.

· In a Nutshell … The 2011 season marks Carmichael’s second year competing on a full-time basis and third overall in the NCWTS. Since making his series debut 66 races ago, he has gone on to earn four top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. Over those same 66 races, the motocross legend has logged a 14.9 average start, a 17.0 average finish, led 40 laps, completed 90.2 percent of the laps run and earned just over of $847,000 in purse money.

· Chevrolet at SEMA 2011: Sonic All Activity Vehicle – Ricky Carmichael Concept … When the Chevrolet Sonic’s designers sought inspiration for an all-activity-style concept for the 2011 SEMA Show, they found the perfect partner in Carmichael – a15-time American Motorcycle Association (AMA) National Champion, three-time X-Games gold medalist and NASCAR racer. When Carmichael is not racing for points, he’s pursuing his other passions, including bikes, boards and more. The fully customized Sonic All Activity Vehicle – Ricky Carmichael Concept is equipped for those adventures, with the storage capacity for his biking and wakeboard equipment.

The Sonic All Activity Vehicle – Ricky Carmichael Concept reflects the driver’s high-performance personality, with custom interior and exterior design cues, performance enhancements and an upgraded sound system. Carmichael was very active in developing the car, working with Chevrolet designers to convey his style and attitude. Carmichael was on-hand in Las Vegas at the SEMA Show on Monday when the car was unveiled to the media. For more information about the Chevrolet Sonic All Activity Vehicle – Ricky Carmichael Concept, members of the media may visit media.gm.com/sonic.

· Turner Truck Totals … In 22 NCWTS races in 2011, TMS entries have earned 13 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes. James Buescher leads the way with 19 top 10s and is second in points. With the exception of this year’s first race at Martinsville, Chicagoland and Las Vegas, Buescher has finished inside the top 10 in every race in which he has competed in the division this season. Carmichael has logged one top five and six top 10s and is 16th in the standings. Blake Feese finished fourth and Ryan Newman was fifth in Atlanta. Mark Martin finished seventh in the No. 32 machine at Pocono while Brad Sweet drove the same truck for the first eight races of the year, logging a pair of top-10 results.

· Get to the Point(s) … Carmichael slipped to 16th in points after last week’s disappointing end-result at Martinsville. With two races remaining on the 2011 NCWTS schedule, the 31-year-old, father of twins is still just three points outside the top 15. Buescher is second in the standings and trails current point leader Austin Dillon by 11 points. While Blake Feese has made just eight starts in 2011, he is 27th in points. The No. 32 machine is also assured a spot on Friday’s starting grid by virtue of being 17th in the NCWTS owner point standings.

· Turner Motorsports is Texas Strong… Turner Motorsports owner Steve Turner considers Texas Motor Speedway his home track. Turner, along with his wife Sandra, live outside of Houston, only four hours from the Great American Speedway. The organization is in its sophomore season of NASCAR competition and has captured five poles, three wins, 43 top-five and 90 top-10 finishes in both NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series competition. Turner Motorsports expanded from a two-team Truck Series operation in 2010 to become the largest stand-alone multi-series team in NASCAR’s top-three touring series, fielding three full-time entries in the NCWTS and four in the Nationwide Series.

· Welcome Aboard … Turner Motorsports and Monster Energy are pleased to welcome Kroger and QT Kitchens to the lower-rear quarter panels of the No. 4 Monster Energy Silverado this weekend in Texas. QT Kitchens, located inside select QuikTrip locations, offers fresh sandwiches, wraps, fruit, salads and pastries. The Kroger Co., (NYSE:KR) headquartered in Cincinnati, is one of the nation’s largest grocery retailers, with fiscal 2010 sales of $82.2 billion. The Kroger Co. spans many states with store formats that include grocery and multi-department stores, convenience stores and mall jewelry stores. Kroger operates under nearly two dozen banners, all of which share the same belief in building strong local ties and brand loyalty with our customers.

· RC Live … Carmichael, along with teammate Blake Feese and NCWTS staple Ron Hornaday Jr. will appear at the Chevy Stage on Friday, Nov. 4 at 3 p.m. The Chevy stage will be located outside the front straightaway, inside the TMS Midway area.

· See the Monster Energy Silverado … The Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado show truck will make a host of stops in the Dallas/Fort Worth area this week. Dates and times are listed below.
Wednesday, Nov. 2

9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Kroger 6550 North Beach Street Fort Worth 76137

3 p.m. – 7 p.m. QuikTrip 9635 Coit Road Plano 75024

Thursday, Nov. 3

9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Kroger 3300 Texas Sage Trail Fort Worth 76177

3 p.m. – 7 p.m. QuikTrip 1100 North Industrial Boulevard Euless 76039

Friday, Nov. 4

9 a.m. – 1 p.m. QuikTrip 801 East SH 121 Bus. Lewisville 75057

3 p.m. – 7p.m. QuikTrip 3113 West University Drive Denton 76207

· Nationwide Notes … In 31 NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2011, TMS-fielded teams have notched three wins, 21 top-five and 60 top-10 finishes. TMS’s No. 32 Dollar General team maintained seventh in owner’s points after Brian Vickers finished 10th two weekends ago at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 31 Brandt Chevrolet, was seventh in the final rundown at Charlotte and jumped from fifth to fourth in the driver point standings. Jason Leffler was credited with 11th in Charlotte and held on to sixth in points. After a two-week hiatus, the drivers and teams of the NASCAR Nationwide Series return to the track this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. ESPN2’s live coverage of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge will be televised on Saturday, Nov. 5 beginning at noon Eastern Daylight Time. The race will also be broadcast on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Qualifying for Round 32 of the 2011 Nationwide Series Championship will be televised live on SPEED Friday, Nov. 4 at 6:30 p.m. EDT.

· Up to Speed … Live coverage of the WinStar World Casino 350K will take the green flag Friday, Nov. 4 beginning at 7:30 p.m. EDT. The race will be televised live on SPEED and broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Ricky Carmichael - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

Texas is one of your favorite race tracks and a place where you feel like you’ve got a legitimate chance to run in the top five or possibly even win. What makes Texas such a good track for you?

“I’m not sure really sure I can put my finger on it but I like the amount of grip the track has. I just love everything about that track. The first time I went there, when I was a rookie and hadn’t been on a track like that before, I ran pretty good. It’s just one of those tracks we go to that gives me a really good feeling. I’m really excited to go to Texas this weekend.”

What’s the key to a fast lap at Texas Motor Speedway?

“The truck needs to be good and secure underneath you. The track has a fair amount of grip so that’s not usually a problem. You need to run the truck along the white line on the bottom of the track as best as you can. Texas is typically a place where the fast guys will run around the bottom of the race track. The top line will probably start working once we get a little deeper in to the race but I think if you can get your truck working good on the bottom, that’s the best place to be. Fortunately for me, every time I’ve raced at Texas, I’ve been fast on the bottom and fast on the top.”

Texas is essentially a home race for Turner Motorsports. Does that provide a little extra motivation for you to do well?

“Absolutely. I know all three of us … myself, James (Bueshcer) and Blake (Feese) would all really like to run up front. As long as we run the way we’re capable and figure some things out, we should be able to run inside the top five. For us to do well as a team, for Mr. Turner in his home state where he conducts his business, would be outstanding. Mr. Turner has placed a lot of faith in me and given me a great opportunity so I’d really like to reward him with a good finish.”

You had a very cool opportunity to play a key role in the design process and development of Chevrolet’s new Sonic All Activity Vehicle – Ricky Carmichael Concept. Can you talk a little bit about that?

“The car looks so cool, colorful and fun to drive. I live my life on the go and this Sonic really represents that active lifestyle and my desire to have fun when I’m off the race track. The Sonic would be a perfect vehicle for someone who wants to get the most out of their time – and I also really appreciate how Chevrolet was able to incorporate my loyal sponsors into the design of the car.”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

Home sweet home in the Lone Star state… James Buescher won’t have to travel far to race this weekend; the Plano, Texas-native currently resides in Katy, Texas, just outside Houston. The 21-year-old has a long and storied history at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS), winning his first championship in a Bandolero car at the track when he was 14-years-old. In 2010, he claimed Turner Motorsports first NASCAR pole in the November NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) event and also grabbed the pole in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) June stop at the track.

Where it all began… Like Buescher, Turner Motorsports calls TMS their home track, winning their first championship at the track with Steve Turner’s youngest daughter, Kris, driving a Bandolero in 2004. The organization was headquartered in Hallettsville, Texas until making the move into NASCAR and to Mooresville, N.C. in 2009.Testing the NASCAR waters in 2009, the organization made their NCWTS debut at their home track. In 2010, the team went full time NCWTS racing, fielding entries for Ricky Carmichael and Buescher. In late 2010, the organization made the announcement from the TMS media center that they had acquired Braun Racing and would run three NCWTS and four NNS entries in 2011. That same weekend, Buescher grabbed Turner Motorsports’ first-ever pole award.

In one year, Turner Motorsports has collected four poles, 12 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes in the NCWTS and notched three wins, 21 top-five and 60 top-10 finishes in Nationwide Series competition. Buescher is currently second in the NCWTS points battle, while Justin Allgaier and Jason Leffler are fifth and sixth, respectively, in the NNS point standings.

Calling the shots… For his limited run in the Nationwide Series, Buescher will work with veteran crew chief Stewart Cooper. Cooper has worked with several drivers in 2011 including, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Boris Said and Carmichael.

Home track stats… In three NNS starts at TMS, Buescher has captured one pole award (November 2010) with his best finish of 11th coming in 2009. In his five NCWTS starts at his home track, Buescher has captured three top-10 finishes and is also credited with one pole award (June 2011).

Double-duty driver… As he has done several times this season, Buescher will pull double duty this weekend at TMS, running both Friday night’s NCWTS race and Saturday’s NNS event. Buescher is having a career-year in his full-time pursuit for the NCWTS championship. He has collected 10 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes in 22 starts, finishing outside the top-10 on only three occasions. He has captured two pole awards and led 208 laps. He is currently second in the championship point standings, just 11 points behind leader Austin Dillon with two races left on the schedule.
By the numbers – NNS… TMS will mark Buescher’s ninth NNS start of 2011. In his previous eight starts he is credited with one top-five and three top-10 finishes. In 31 total series starts, he has claimed two pole awards, one top-five and five top-10 finishes.

This week’s Impala… The No. 30 ABF team will hit the track with chassis TMS-310 this weekend at TMS. TMS-310 made its debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Kahne drove it to a fifth-place finish after starting in the seventh spot.

James Buescher on returning home to Texas

“This is obviously a very special weekend for me. I have had so much success at Texas Motor Speedway and it is where my racing career really took off. Everyone says it, but racing in front of a home town crowd is awesome, however it does add a little bit of pressure. I’d like nothing more than to get my first win at Texas. It would be special not only for me, but also for the whole Turner family. I met Steve and Sandra while I was racing at Texas Motor Speedway and they have been so supportive of me and my career over the years. We are going to have tons of friends and family here this weekend, so I really want to bring home two great finishes for everyone here at Turner Motorsports.”

Follow the No. 30 team on Twitter! Twitter.com/No30TurnerNNS

Follow James Buescher on Twitter! Twitter.com/JamesBuescher

Follow Turner Motorsports on Facebook!Facebook.com/TurnerMotorsports

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

No. 32 Dollar General Chevrolet Impala - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

Back for More – Brian Vickers will again jump behind the wheel of the No. 32 Dollar General Chevy for Turner Motorsports this weekend in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS). Vickers made two previous starts this season with the Trent Owens-led team, notching a pair of top-10s at both Kansas Speedway and most recently a 10th-place finish in the Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Vickers at Texas Motor Speedway – Vickers will make his fifth NNS start at the 1.5-mile TMS this weekend. It will be his fourth start in a Turner Motorsports entry. In four previous starts, Vickers owns a pair of top-10 finishes with 87 laps led. His average start is 10.8 and his average finish is 18.8. His last NNS start was in the No. 32 Dollar General Chevy in the fall of 2009 for Turner Motorsports.

Going (Near) Home – This weekend’s trip to Texas will be a homecoming of sorts for No. 32 team tire specialist Mason Jennings. Jennings hails from Edmond, OK which is just over three hours from TMS. A 1995 graduate of Edmond Memorial High School, Jennings also attended Oklahoma State University.

Fans Can Win Big with Dollar General – Dollar General, an Official Partner of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™, is offering customers the chance to win more than 9,000 prizes including free gas for a year, a trip for two to Las Vegas for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week™ and $250,000. The “Race in to Win” sweepstakes officially launched August 28 and runs through November 12, 2011. When customers purchase qualifying items from DG, they are given a code on their receipt to enter online at dollargeneral.com. It is the first-ever national retail program around the Chase, NASCAR’s version of the playoffs.

Where it All Began - Turner Motorsports calls TMS their home track, winning their first championship at the track with Steve Turner’s youngest daughter, Kris, driving a Bandolero in 2004. The organization was headquartered in Hallettsville, Texas until making the move into NASCAR and to Mooresville, N.C. in 2009.Testing the NASCAR waters in 2009, the organization made their NCWTS debut at their home track. In 2010, the team went full-time NCWTS racing, fielding entries for Ricky Carmichael and Buescher. In late 2010, the organization made the announcement from the TMS media center that they had acquired Braun Racing and would run three NCWTS and four NNS entries in 2011. That same weekend, Buescher grabbed Turner Motorsports’ first-ever pole award. In one year, Turner Motorsports has collected four poles, 12 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes in the NCWTS and notched three wins, 21 top-five and 60 top-10 finishes in Nationwide Series competition. Buescher is currently second in the NCWTS points battle, while Justin Allgaier and Jason Leffler are fifth and sixth, respectively, in the NNS point standings.

This Week’s Impala - This weekend, Vickers will pilot TMS-312 in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at TMS. This is the second race for the car, as it was the same Dollar General machine Vickers piloted to a 10th-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway three weeks ago.

Brian Vickers

“I love coming back here twice a year. Great food and good people. I get to spend some time with some friends down here, so it’s just an enjoyable weekend. Maybe the third time will be the charm for me in the 32 car? Can’t thank Dollar General and Rick (Dreiling, Chairman and CEO) as well as Turner Motorsports for having me back. It would be nice to get a win for them as this is Mr. Turner’s backyard as well.”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

No. 32 AccuDoc Solutions Chevrolet Silverado (Photo Credit: CIA Photo)

First Time For Feese At Martinsville… Blake Feese will make his Martinsville Speedway NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) debut this Saturday afternoon. In his seven starts this season for Turner Motorsports, the NCWTS rookie has earned one top-five and one top-10 finish with an average finishing spot of 15th.

Chassis TMS-017… The No. 32 AccuDoc Solutions Chevrolet Silverado team will unload chassis TMS-017 for Saturday afternoon’s 200-lap event. This chassis last saw track action at New Hampshire Motor Speedway where Feese brought home a 21st-place finish. Earlier this season, Steve Arpin piloted this chassis at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, where he started 19th and finished in the 13th spot. TMS-017 also has a pair of starts earlier this season at Martinsville Speedway where Brad Sweet started 18th and finished 15th and Nashville Superspeedway where Sweet started 21st and finished in the 28th position.

Greensboro A Place Called Home… Greensboro A Place Called Home… No. 32 engine specialist and Hendrick Motorsports employee, Jamie Lamb, is heading back home to Greensboro N.C., a short 44 miles from Martinsville Speedway. Lamb, a graduate from UNC Charlotte with a degree in Mechanical Engineering interned with Hendrick Motorsports throughout college, and moved out to California to work as a team associate for Associated Electronics following graduation. He assisted in designing RC cars, specifically the RC 10 B44 which went on to win two consecutive world championships. In 2008, Lamb returned to the Queen City to work with the Hendrick Motorsports engine department and has worked with Turner Motorsports thus far in 2011.

AccuDoc Solutions… AccuDoc Solutions will serve as primary sponsor of the No. 32 Chevy Silverado this Saturday afternoon at Martinsville Speedway. AccuDoc Solutions is based in Morrisville, N.C. and provides billing- statement printing and processing to hospitals and hospital-based physicians. The Turner Motorsports marketing partner also adorns the hood of Jason Leffler’s No. 30 machine in several NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) events in 2011.

About Blake… Feese got his start racing quarter midgets at the age of 10. He progressed through the winged sprint car ranks over the years winning championships and prestigious races including wins at Knoxville Speedway, Eldora Speedway and the Dirt Track at Charlotte. In 2003, Feese made the switch to stock cars, competing in the ARCA Racing Series. In 2004, he partnered with Hendrick Motorsports, winning his first ARS event at Nashville Superspeedway. He went on to earn two wins, two top-five and four top-10 finishes that year. The next year he competed in six NNS races and also made his NCWTS debut at Kentucky Speedway. Following a year running the sprint car circuit, he returned to the ARS in 2007, running a limited schedule and earning one top-five and four top-10 finishes in four starts. In 2009, he made his second NCWTS start at Nashville Superspeedway finishing in 12th place.

Blake Feese (Photo Credit: CIA Photo)

Blake Feese on Martinsville Speedway:

“I’m looking forward to heading to Martinsville this weekend. I’ve never competed on track, so will rely on my teammates James [Buescher] and Ricky [Carmichael] who have both had strong runs in the past. The No. 32 AccuDoc Solutions team has definitely been on a strong consistent run as of late and the more we keep figuring out new ideas we’ll definitely keep getting stronger.”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado (Ricky Carmichael) - Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

Event / Date: Kroger 200 – October 29, 2011

Venue: Martinsville Speedway – Martinsville, Va.

· This Week’s Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado … Ricky Carmichael will pilot chassis TMS-018 from the Turner Motorsports NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) stable in Saturday’s Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway. This is the same truck Carmichael raced at Martinsville in April of this season where he started 20th, led twice for 36 laps and went on to finish eighth. All totaled, this truck has seen action five times this season including Phoenix International Raceway (St. 28, Fn. 31), Martinsville, (St. 20, Fn. 8), Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis (St. 27, Fn. 19) and most recently at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (St. 22, Fn. 19). Built new in 2010, the same truck also saw action last fall at Martinsville Speedway where the 15-time AMA National Champion started sixth and finished ninth.

· Martinsville Minutes … Carmichael has four NCWTS starts at Martinsville Speedway. The 31-year-old racer has logged a 16.8 starting average, a 14th-place average finish and has completed all but 11 laps (98.9 percent) run over those four events. He has notched three top 10s after posting a career-best eighth-place finish in April at the tricky, .526-mile southern Virginia race track.

· Talladega Totals … Carmichael and the Monster Energy Team turned in a season-best fourth-place finish in last Saturday’s Coca-Cola 250 Powered by fred’s at Talladega Superspeedway. The third-year NCWTS driver raced with the leaders all afternoon, stayed out of trouble and, when the money was on the line, demonstrated his superspeedway prowess by earning his first top-five finish of the 2011 season. The spirited effort also afforded Carmichael one more spot in the NCWTS driver points, propelling him from 15th to 14th in the standings. Over the last three races, Carmichael has powered from 18th to his current position in the points.

· In a Nutshell … The 2011 season marks Carmichael’s second year competing on a full-time basis and third overall in the NCWTS. Since making his series debut 65 races ago, he has gone on to earn four top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. Over those same 65 races, the motocross legend has logged a 14.8 average start, a 16.7 average finish, led 40 laps, completed 91.6 percent of the laps run and earned just over of $840,000 in purse money.

· Turner Truck Totals … In 22 NCWTS races in 2011, TMS entries have earned 13 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes. James Buescher leads the way with 18 top 10s and is second in points. With the exception of this year’s first race at Martinsville, Chicagoland and Las Vegas, Buescher has finished inside the top 10 in every race in which he has competed in the division this season. Carmichael has logged one top five and six top 10s and is 14th in the standings. Blake Feese finished fourth and Ryan Newman was fifth in Atlanta. Mark Martin finished seventh in the No. 32 machine at Pocono while Brad Sweet drove the same truck for the first eight races of the year, logging a pair of top-10 results.

· Get to the Point(s) … Carmichael jumped from 15th to 14th in the NCWTS driver point standings after notching his first top-five finish of the season last weekend and is now 23 points behind 13th-place David Starr. Buescher trails current point leader Austin Dillon by three points with three races remaining on the 2011 schedule. While Blake Feese has made just seven starts in 2011, he is 27th in points. The No. 32 machine is assured a spot on Saturday’s starting grid by virtue of being 16th in the NCWTS owner point standings.

· Welcome Aboard … Turner Motorsports and Monster Energy are pleased to welcome Apple Market to the lower-rear quarter panels of the No. 4 Monster Energy Silverado this weekend in Martinsville. Workman Oil Company is the operator of 45 convenience stores under the “Apple Market” banner in central and southwest Virginia and Eastern Kentucky. The company also operates as a franchisee for Subway, Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken, Krystal, and Blimpie. Workman Oil Company also has a proprietary food service operation in 13 Apple Market convenience stores under the Granny Smith’s name.

· Nationwide Notes … In 31 NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2011, TMS-fielded teams have notched three wins, 21 top-five and 60 top-10 finishes. TMS’s No. 32 Dollar General team maintained seventh in owner’s points after Brian Vickers finished 10th two weekends ago at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 31 Brandt Chevrolet, was seventh in the final rundown at Charlotte and jumped from fifth to fourth in the driver point standings. Jason Leffler was credited with 11th in Charlotte and held on to sixth in points. The drivers and teams of the NASCAR Nationwide Series have this weekend off before returning to the track the next weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. ESPN2’s live coverage of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge will be televised on Saturday, Nov. 5 beginning at noon Eastern Daylight Time. The race will also be broadcast on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Qualifying for Round 32 of the 2011 Nationwide Series Championship will be televised live on SPEED Friday, Nov. 4 at 6:30 p.m. EDT.

· Up to Speed … Live coverage of the Kroger 200 will take the green flag Saturday, Oct. 29 beginning at 1:30 p.m. EDT. The race will be televised live on SPEED and broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Qualifying for Round 23 of the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship will be televised on SPEED the same day at 10:30 a.m. EDT.

Ricky Carmichael - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

You had a great run last time the Truck Series visited Martinsville.

“We really did. I didn’t qualify as well as I had hoped but when the green flag dropped, the Monster Energy Chevy was on a rail. We played the track position game and that certainly helped but at the end of the day, we still had a fast truck. We led a bunch of laps and definitely had better than an eighth-place truck but we ran out of tires at the end of the race so that set us back a little bit. It was a good day so I’m really looking forward to this weekend.”

Looking back on the last three races, you have to be encouraged about where the program stands and where it’s going.

“The last three races have been great and I think that speaks volumes about the direction of this program. We were fast at Kentucky and finished sixth. We were in a great position to finish in the top five at Las Vegas until we got wrecked but Doug (crew chief Doug George) and the team did a great job fixing the truck on pit road and we battled back to finish 12th. Talladega was an awesome race for us. We just kind of hung out all day and when it was time to go, I hooked up with my teammate (James Buescher) and we reeled in the leaders and had a shot at winning the race. That’s all you can ask for is an opportunity and we definitely had one last week. If we can duplicate what we did at Martinsville in the spring, I think we’ll have a good shot at another top five. We’ve gained a lot of ground in the points over the last three races so hopefully, we can keep on rolling this weekend.”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM)

Date: Oct. 22, 2011

Event: Coca-Cola 250 (Race 22 of 25)

Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (2.66-mile Tri-oval)

Start/Finish: 17th / 9th (Running, completed 94 of 94 laps)

Winner: Mike Wallace of Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) (Chevrolet)

It became evident in the early stages of Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Coca-Cola 250 at Talladega Superspeedway that the race was going to follow suit with recent Sprint Cup Series events at the 2.66-mile Tri-oval and the best pair was going to win.

The high-speed game of poker appeared to be headed for a showdown between three Truck Series aces and a wildcard as the 94-lap race approached the final laps. Kyle Busch was paired with Austin Dillon while Ron Hornaday Jr. was paired with teammate Mike Wallace, who was making his first start in the series since 2009. The two tandems had separated themselves from the rest of the field and were swapping the lead every few laps until a late caution set up a green-white-checkered finish.

Dillon, who was scored in the third position, failed to maintain minimum speed under caution and was forced to restart the race from the 18th position. Busch scrambled to find a new drafting partner and chose to align himself with fellow Toyota driver Timothy Peters.

As the field went back green for the final time, Peters ran out of gas and Busch, who once again found himself without a partner, saw his No. 18 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra get shuffled from the third position all the way outside of the top 10. On the final lap, Busch connected with Max Papis and the Italian pushed the Las Vegas native back into the top 10 as the field reached the start-finish line for the final time.

Kyle Busch

Busch, the two-time defending winner of the race, started from the 17th position. After things got bottled up on the initial restart, he communicated to crew chief Eric Phillips that he believed his No. 18 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra had made contact with another truck and already suffered damage to the grill.

Spotter Eddie D’Hondt examined the damage from atop the spotter’s stand and communicated to Busch that the damage appeared to be minimal. The No. 18 Tundra had made its way up to the 14th position when it was involved in a multi-truck accident on lap 13.

With a flat left front tire and crinkled fender, the 26-year-old immediately brought his Tundra down pit road under caution, where the KBM over-the-wall crew went to work repairing the damage. After multiple visits to pit road, the repairs allowed Busch was to drive the truck without the tire rubbing the fender but he reported that the steering was slightly off.

The No. 18 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra was scored in the 27th position when the race restarted on lap 18. Busch communicated to the crew that the truck was “a little darty but not terrible” as he made his way up to the 19th spot on lap 30. As the driver was making progress on the track, the KBM crew was making progress in their pit stall — formulating a plan to make additional repairs to the truck and fabricating metal pieces to strengthen both the fender and the crush panel.

A three-truck incident on lap 36 slowed the field for the third time. With severe damage to two of the trucks involved, the caution period lasted five laps and gave the KBM crew ample time to make repairs to the No. 18 Tundra. The crew used four pit stops over five caution laps to adjust the tow of the truck and make repairs to the left front fender and crush panel with a combination of sheet metal and bearbond.

Busch was scored in the 26th position when the race restarted on lap 42. When the next caution of the race occurred on lap 48, he reported that the steering on his truck was much improved and he was ready to make his way to the front of the field. When pit road opened, he brought the No. 18 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra down pit road for four fresh tires and a full tank of fuel. Busch returned to the track scored in the 17th position.

Shortly after the race restarted, Busch connected with his rookie teammate Josh Richards and the two began working their way toward the front of the back. With the owner pushing his No. 51 Joy Mining Machinery Toyota — and coaching his young driver of the radio at the same time — the two trucks made a strong run along the outside lane of the track. On lap 56, Busch had pushed his teammate all the way up to the third position. The two KBM trucks broke away from the pack and began to pursue the two Kevin Harvick Inc. trucks that were pacing the field.

Fluid on the track brought out the fourth caution of the race on lap 59. Busch brought his Tundra down pit road for a fuel-only stop and returned to the track scored in the fourth position. Richards, who made a two-tire stop, was scored in the 11th spot when the race restarted.

With Richards starting further back in the pack, Busch was forced to find another partner to tandem draft with, as the “Two-Truck Tango” had proven to be the fastest way around the famed Superspeedway. He quickly teamed up with Dillon and pushed the young driver to the top spot on lap 65. With Busch the pusher and Dillon the pushee, the tandem swapped the lead with Wallace and Hornaday Jr. several times. The four trucks distanced themselves from the rest of the field as the race proceeded into the final laps.

Wallace won his fifth career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race with the help of his teammate, Hornaday Jr., who finished a close second. James Buescher finished third, Ricky Carmichael fourth and Jason White fifth. Todd Bodine, Dillon, Gaughan, Busch and Papis rounded out the top-10 finishers.

Richards was running seventh when the field took the white flag, but like Busch, found himself without a partner and was shuffled back on the final lap. The two-time defending World of Outlaws Late Model champion posted a career-best 13th-place finish in the KBM No. 51 Joy Mining Machinery Tundra.

There were six caution periods for 27 laps, with 12 drivers failing to finish the 94-lap race.

The No. 18 Tundra remains second in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owners’ point standings. The team trails KHI’s No. 2 team by 81 points with three races remaining on the 2011 schedule.

The next event on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule is the Oct. 29 Kroger 200 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The race starts at 2:00 p.m. ET with live coverage beginning with the NCWTS Setup show at 1:30 p.m. ET on SPEED. Denny Hamlin will be behind the wheel of the No. 18 Toyota/Traxxas Tundra, making his first 12th career Truck Series start and first for KBM.

- Kyle Busch Motorsports Press Release

No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado (Ricky Carmichael) - Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

Event / Date: Coca-Cola 250 Powered by fred’s – October 22, 2011

Venue: Talladega Superspeedway – Talladega, Ala.

· This Week’s Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado … Ricky Carmichael will pilot chassis TMS 016 from the Turner Motorsports NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) stable in Saturday’s Coca-Cola 250 Powered by fred’s at Talladega Superspeedway. Built new last season, this is the same Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado Carmichael drove to a fifth-place finish last fall at Talladega and to an eighth-place showing in this year’s season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.

· A Look Back at Las Vegas… Despite being collected in an early race incident of another driver’s making, Carmichael and his Doug George-led Monster Energy Team dug deep and came away from last Saturday’s Smith’s 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with an admirable 12th-place finish. While the damage to his Turner Motorsports-prepared entry was substantial, George made the executive decision to not have his driver take the truck to the garage area for repairs but to assess and fix the machine on pit road. The plan paid off in spades and after multiple trips to the service lane, courtesy of an inordinate amount of yellow flags, Carmichael turned in an exceptionally respectable finish. At the same time, the Tallahassee, Fla., resident moved inside the top 15 of the NCWTS driver point standings. Immediately following the Truck Series race, Carmichael headed for Sam Boyd Stadium where he worked the broadcast booth for SPEED’s live coverage of the inaugural Monster Energy Cup where Monster Energy rider Ryan Villapoto dominated the event and took home a cool $1 million in prize money.

· Talladega Totals … Carmichael has two NCWTS starts at Talladega Superspeedway and calls a fifth-place finish a career-best at the gargantuan 2.66-mile Alabama race course. He’s earned an 11th-place starting average, a 12.5 average finish and completed 188 of the 193 total laps run (97 percent) over both races.

· In a Nutshell … The 2011 season marks Carmichael’s second year competing on a full-time basis and third overall in the NCWTS. Since making his series debut 64 races ago, he has gone on to earn three top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. Over those same 64 races, the motocross legend has logged a 15.0 average start, a 16.9 average finish, led 39 laps, completed 91.6 percent of the laps run and earned just over of $817,000 in purse money.

· A Busy Week … Following last week’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Carmichael headed to California on Sunday morning where he’s spending the week visiting sponsors Monster Energy, Fox and Oakley.

· Turner Truck Totals … In 21 NCWTS races in 2011, TMS entries have earned 11 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes. James Buescher leads the way with 17 top 10s and is third in points. With the exception of Martinsville, Chicagoland and Las Vegas, Buescher has finished inside the top 10 in every race in which he has competed in the division this season. Carmichael has logged five top 10s and is 15th in the standings. Blake Feese finished fourth and Ryan Newman was fifth in Atlanta. Mark Martin finished seventh in the No. 32 machine at Pocono while Brad Sweet drove the same truck for the first eight races of the year, logging a pair of top-10 results.

· Get to the Point(s) … Carmichael jumped from 16th to 15th in the NCWTS driver point standings after finishing 12th last weekend in Las Vegas and is currently just four points behind 14th-place Justin Lofton. Buescher trails current point leader Austin Dillon by seven points and is only two markers behind second-place Johnny Sauter. While Blake Feese has made just six starts in 2011, the No. 32 machine is assured a spot on the starting grid by virtue of being 16th in the NCWTS owner point standings.

· Stars Fell On … JR Norris, truck chief for the No. 4 Monster Energy Team, hails from nearby Hueytown, Ala., just an hour from Talladega. Norris, a former racer, made a name for himself in the NASCAR Auto Zone Southeast Series in 2004 by earning Rookie of the Year honors. In 2006 he claimed the series’ championship after an intense battle that came down to the final laps of the season. Norris also has three NCWTS starts to his credit, having never qualified outside the top-15 in those starts.

· Welcome Aboard … Turner Motorsports and Monster Energy are pleased to feature CVS Pharmacy on the lower-rear quarter panels of the No. 4 entry this weekend at Talladega. CVS Pharmacy is the second largest pharmacy chain in the United States, with over 7,000 stores in 41 states and Puerto Rico. As the retail pharmacy division of CVS Caremark, CVS Pharmacy sells prescription drugs and a wide assortment of general merchandise, including over-the-counter drugs, beauty products and cosmetics, film and photo finishing services, seasonal merchandise, greeting cards and convenience foods through their CVS Pharmacy and Longs Drugs retail stores and online through CVS.com.

· Nationwide Notes … In 31 NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2011, TMS-fielded teams have notched three wins, 21 top-five and 60 top-10 finishes. TMS’s No. 32 Dollar General team maintained seventh in owner’s points after Brian Vickers finished 10th last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 31 Brandt Chevrolet, was seventh in the final rundown last week and jumped from fifth to fourth in the driver point standings. Jason Leffler was credited with 11th in Charlotte and held on to sixth in points. The drivers and teams of the NASCAR Nationwide Series enjoy the next two weekends off before returning to the track the first weekend in November at Texas Motor Speedway. ESPN2’s live coverage of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge will be televised on Saturday, Nov. 5 beginning at noon Eastern Daylight Time. The race will also be broadcast on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Qualifying for Round 32 of the 2011 Nationwide Series Championship will be televised live on SPEED Friday, Nov. 4 at 6:30 p.m. EDT.

· See the Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado … Carmichael’s No. 4 Monster Energy Chevy show truck will make three stops this week in the Talladega area. On Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., the Monster Energy Silverado will visit CVS Pharmacy located at 1535 Decatur Highway in Fultondale, Ala. On Thursday, Carmichael’s race truck will CVS in Moody, Ala. – 2828 Moody Parkway – also from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. The truck will make its third and final pit stop of the week in Birmingham on Friday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. at the CVS located at the intersection of Highway 280 and Valleydale Road.

· Up to Speed … Live coverage of the Coca-Cola 250 Powered by fred’s will take the green flag Saturday, Oct. 22 beginning at 3:30 p.m. EDT. The race will be televised live on SPEED and broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Qualifying for Round 22 of the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship will be televised on SPEED Friday, Oct. 21 at 5 p.m. EDT.

Ricky Carmichael - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

Talk about this weekend’s race at Talladega.

“I’m always excited when we go to restrictor-plate races. We’re taking the same truck we raced at Daytona in the first race of the season. It’s a very fast truck so everyone will have a little extra pep in their step this weekend. We had a great finish with the Monster Energy Chevy last fall at Talladega and given how we ran at Daytona, I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be as good, if not better, than we were in the season opener.”

How is Talladega different from Daytona?

“Daytona is more of a driver’s track than Talladega is. The race track is quite a bit narrower than Talladega but this race always produces great side-by-side racing and a lot of passing. The fans are going to be on the edge of their seats from the drop of the green until the checkered flag. We’ve made some good ground in the points over the last two races and that’s what we’re looking to do this weekend, as well. We’ve been working hard to break into the top five all year and we’re in great position to do just that this weekend. ”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release